spyware

The bottom line: Low-impact performance, strong security, and useful features are the hallmarks of Norton Internet Security 2012, one of the best security suites available.

Review: Editors' note: Portions of this review are based on CNET's review of Norton Internet Security 2011.

Over the past few years, Symantec has completed a course reversal for its Norton consumer Internet security suites. The massive package of security tools works better than it ever has before, with an impressive set of features, some useful new tools including remote management and download stability analysis, and third-party security efficacy benchmarks that are at the … Read more

The bottom line: One of the first applications built to find and remove malware and spyware, Ad-Aware's reputation has been well-justified. The latest version adroitly addresses some user concerns, yet performance-based annoyances remain.

Review:

Editors' note: Portions of this review are based on CNET's review for Ad-Aware 9.5 Free.

Ad-Aware 9.5 Pro Internet Security continues the development progress that publisher Lavasoft began in the previous version. No longer content with offering only malware protection, Ad-Aware now includes antivirus protections licensed from Sunbelt, the makers of Vipre, as well as interesting in-house improvements.

Lavasoft first started changing … Read more

The bottom line: One of the first applications built to find and remove malware and spyware, Ad-Aware's reputation has been well-justified. The latest version adroitly addresses some user concerns, yet performance-based annoyances remain.

Review:

Ad-Aware 9.5 continues the development progress that publisher Lavasoft began in version 8. No longer content with offering only malware protection, Ad-Aware now includes antivirus protections licensed from Sunbelt, the makers of Vipre, as well as interesting in-house improvements.

Lavasoft first started changing Ad-Aware's protection engine more than a year ago in version 8.1, when it introduced Genotype. This heuristics-based technology identified … Read more

A new flavor of Android malware is disguising itself as a Google+ app in an attempt to capture instant messages, GPS, location, call logs, and other sensitive data.

Uncovered by the team at Trend Micro, the new malware known as ANDROIDOS_NICKISPY.C can also automatically answer and record phone calls. To capture data, the app loads at boot-up and runs certain services that can monitor messages, phone calls, and the user's location, thereby stealing e-mail and other content.

Detailing its findings in a blog Friday, Trend Micro said it discovered that the malicious app tries to trick people by installing itself under the name Google++.

But instead of providing access to Google's new social network, the app sends its stolen user data to a remote site where presumably cybercriminals can grab it. Unlike some malware in the past that masqueraded as legitimate apps through Google's Android Market, this particular one must be downloaded by an unsuspecting user from a malicious Web site and then manually installed.

And even if installed, the app can be uninstalled from an Android device by selecting Settings > Application > Manage applications, choosing Google++ and then clicking Uninstall, according to Trend Micro.

Trend Micro gives the app a low-risk rating, but it's still something that Android owners should be sure to avoid.

Android users concerned about security can learn how to better protect themselves through Trend Micro's online guide "5 Simple Steps to Secure Your Android-Based Smartphones."… Read more

The bottom line:

The new Kaspersky Internet Security for 2012 introduces a dual cloud-and-local security system bundled under an interface overhaul that's both easy to use and familiar. The suite's scans aren't the fastest, but it definitely will protect you.

Review: Kaspersky Internet Security continues to provide users with a high level of protection that includes security tools not offered by many competitors. The 2012 version won't change the face of personal computer security, although this particular package of security options and top-shelf performance has attracted enough devotees to make it a best-selling program, both in … Read more

The bottom line: Bitdefender Total Security 2012 makes a convincing pitch as an easy Windows security option. It's got an enormous selection of features, but the best one means you'll never see another security notification again unless you get infected. However, the fact that you can get the same feature even in Bitdefender's basic antivirus suite means you ought to think twice before getting this superhigh-end version.

Review: Bitdefender Total Security 2012 presents a convincing alternative to its better-known competitors. It's a strong program, with all the major tools that users expect, and some additional useful … Read more

Those in charge of technology now control the world. Can you always trust them to do good?

Word emerges from the depths of Fullerton, Calif., that one computer repairman might have used his technological know-how for depravity.

According to the Associated Press, Trevor Harwell, aged 20, allegedly serviced women's Macs by adding certain nefarious extras. Having physical access to their Macs, he allegedly fit them with Camcapture software that controlled the Mac Webcams remotely.

But what seems to have alerted the police were messages that he managed to flash up on the Mac screens. These allegedly told those who owned the Macs: "You should fix your internal sensor soon" or, even more suspiciously, "Try putting your laptop near hot steam for several minutes to clean the sensor."

This was, it seems, an invitation for the owners to go to the bathroom with their Macs.

 … Read more

The bottom line: One of the first applications built to find and remove malware and spyware, Ad-Aware 9 Pro's reputation is well-justified. The latest version continues the publisher's tradition of adroitly addressing user concerns, yet some annoyances remain.

Review:

Editors' note: Portions of this review are based on CNET's review for Ad-Aware 9 Free.

Ad-Aware 9 Pro continues the development progress that publisher Lavasoft began in the previous version. No longer content with offering only malware protection, Ad-Aware now includes antivirus protections licensed from Sunbelt, the makers of Vipre, as well as interesting in-house improvements.

Lavasoft first … Read more

Editors' note, 10:44 a.m. PT on March 31: Samsung has been cleared of the keylogger allegations. Read the details in CNET's follow-up story.

A security researcher revealed today that he had purchased two new laptops from Samsung, and discovered both of them to be infected with the StarLogger (download) keystroke-recording program. While there's very little that can be done about keystrokes already recorded, checking your own laptop for such software is actually quite simple--if you're familiar with mucking about in your system directories and Registry.

Note that the researcher only reported StarLogger on two models, a Samsung R525 and a Samsung R540--and that Samsung subsequently said that he was mistaken. CNET examined another new Samsung laptop, the Samsung Series 9, and did not find a keylogger installed.

Because it's a keylogger, most often used for spying on employees and children, StarLogger cannot be accessed from your Start menu. (Or at least, it shouldn't be accessible there. If it is, whoever installed it did a poor job.)

The easiest way to find StarLogger is to look for its Registry key, which is used to load it when Windows is started. To see if this has occurred, open a command prompt and type "Run Regedit". Then go to the Menu bar, select Edit and then Find. You want to search for "winsl", without the quotes. If it's installed, you should see a Registry key that looks like this:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\software\microsoft\windows\currentversion\run\winsl

You can also look for the following files on your hard drive, although keyloggers are designed to hide themselves. Open Windows Explorer, and then hit the Alt key to bring up the Menu bar. Go to Tools, Folder Options, and View. Under Advanced Settings, you'll see an option for Hidden Files and Folders. Make sure that Show is checked.

If you have StarLogger, its files will be located in your Windows root directory, in a subdirectory labeled "SL". A list of files you can expect to see is below: … Read more